supergymnast

I would choose a 1975 Raleigh Superbe.. that pedal powered headlamp would shine a path to my victory.

Road Fan

At least it's the best of all 3-speeds!

vitualis

Steel bikes do not ride the same as modern CF bikes but that does not mean that they are better or worse necessarily. It depends on the type of riding that you do and what compromises you are willing to take.

Brifters were a marvelous development and you are not going to race without them. However, if you AREN'T racing, then some of their benefits may be less relevant when compared to DT shifters. In my experience, good quality DT shifters giver crisper and quieter shifts than brifters. They are mechanically simpler.

I own a 1980s Colnago Super and a 2008 Cannondale Six13 and they are both fantastic but different bikes.

Regards.

cuda2k

Best of both worlds:



86 Serotta Nova, Columbus SL tubing throughout. Repainted last year, and built with a mix of Campagnolo 10sp groups (Record, Chorus, Centaur).

I also own a 2006 Fuji Team Issue WCS built with full Centaur. It was in 06 the best carbon frameset that Fuji made. Yes, there are better carbon frames (for 2-3x the price), but I feel it's a fair comparison marker to my Serotta's ride.

Hands down, in a sprint, the Fuji is faster. Up a hill, Fuji is likely faster... when I have fresh legs. Otherwise, they feel very similar. On a slight downhill where I can get a good run going, the Serotta is a better behaved and riding bike. And the Serotta feels faster on the flats, it *wants* to go fast. The Fuji allows me to accelerate quickly, where the Serotta lets me hold speed sometimes with what seems like forever.

An interesting note, I've swapped wheels between these two bikes, and the ride and speed characteristics move even closer. The Serotta's normal wheelset is Daytona hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro, the Fuji runs Fulcrum 5 Evolution wheels most days. If I move the Fulcrums to the Serotta my acceleration seems snappier, more responsive to my efforts. Ride is a bit harsher with the Fulcrums, but not so much I'd compare it to an early cannondale by any means. I'd take either bike, with either wheelset on a metric century. But I'd more likely have the Serotta with the open pros than any other combination, unless I was hoping to keep an 18+ average all day long.

cs1

I don't mind jumping on this. My main road bike is 1995 Waterford with Reynolds 753 steel. When I got the bike it was equipped with Chorus 8 sp. I upgraded to Centaur 10 sp. It performed about the same as the old Chours, which is to say very well thank you. I eventually swapped wheels to Zonda's. WOW. that really made a big difference. The other wheels were Centaur 32H hubs laced 3 cross on OP rims.

I am a firm believer in good wheels now. They make a much bigger difference than I thought. If you really want to bring an old bike up to modern standards invest in good wheels first.

due ruote 

Thirty years ago when I bought my bike, it was the same equipment that guys were riding in the Tour. Granted, it's not what they're riding now, but I can't see how that's not still plenty of bike for the likes of me. Plus I dig the way it rides. So no fancy new stuff for me, thanks.

dbakl

I just got back from a Backroads trip in Ireland, 6 days of riding on a new, titainium framed, carbon fiber forked "modern" roadbike. It was fine: the indexed, brake lever shifting certainly (my bike evolution never advanced beyond 70s Nuovo Record, and those are still the bikes I ride) made shifts mindless. Otherwise, I never really felt the thing fit properly, even though I was constantly making adjustments. And the ride quality was about on par with an old balloon tire bike, though lighter of course. Certainly not the materials, perhaps the design? Maybe its just too many years on classic bikes; I rode my 84 Cinelli both days this weekend and man, what a bike! It just feels right, though I admit I've had 25 years to perfect it!

My feelings are that steel roadbikes were pretty sophisticated for what they were; as designs have changed, I'm not sure they're perfected yet. I really dislike the mountain bike influences that have entered road bike design, which seem to make them cluncky over sleek.

But just get out and ride, it doesn't matter what; for me, if it was good enough for Eddy...

dbakl

Hey, post some pics of the earlier one, I'd love to see!

Lamplight

Not only with bikes, I tend to prefer older things to new. Old things usually last longer, work better, and look better (IMO). The more I ride, the more I like older bikes and parts, and the more I shy away from "racing" anything, new or old. Since buying a touring bike, my "fast" bike almost never gets ridden. That would hold true whether it was carbon, aluminum, steel, or titanium.

Sammyboy

Older steel road bikes are cheaper (to buy now), may be more comfortable, will be more durable, and look MUCH nicer to my eyes. A CF roadie from today will be lighter, faster (both as a result of being lighter, and because you can match your cadence better with more cogs), shift quicker, but will look like a plastic coathanger, and crack if you drop your waterbottle on it. Buy what suits you!

CardiacKid

I chuckle every time I see a post about some late 80s vintage Cannondale someone has just found. It is that kind of bike that converted me to vintage steel. I enjoy riding my modern CF bike almost as much as my Hetchins. It is really the novelty of the Hetchins that makes me chose it over my Trek 5000. There is also the inherent attachment that you develop after hours of fixing up the bike.

rmwun54

Well as an owner of a 6 speed Campy equiped Bianchi Vitoria steel lugged bike I would have to say that for all the years I have owned it I just love the ride and feel of this bike. It was the first bike that I purchased to inspire me to ride more often. And that it did, but now I just use it as my do it all ride: going to the grocery store, touring, cruising, visiting friends, and a occasional jaunt to the Rose Bowl. It is not as tight as my Dean Ti with carbon legs but the Bianchi is the bike I ride the most for the enjoyment of getting around. I payed $900.00 back in the days for it compared the cost of my $2,500.00 custom size Dean Ti setup. I have upgraded the Bianchi to 9 speed shimano parts so now it really rocks with more gears and nicer wheels.

karmat

+1

Older stuff is also more detailed. The particular curve mattered, the embossing, the cutouts and machined surfaces. The metal.

To second your last statement there, too, you know I think it's funny that nearly all the arguments in favor of the newer bikes have been related to speed, racing, etc. Everyone, please raise your hand if the majority of your riding is done racing. Marketing of bikes for many years has focused on racing and that's why we've evolved the bike market into such junk offerings. The good news is that in the last few years that is changing. You can actually buy new bikes that are much more like the old bikes we cherish. But sadly, much of the detailing has been lost because it's just too expensive to manufacture. I suspect in 20 years we'll see that quality has tapered off in parallel.

Karl

awc380

Did this mid-1980's perfection involve the pastel purple and green blotch paintjobs? Or the neon yellow painted frames? I guess that's one kind of perfection...

awc380

I think that, for the sake of the C&V community, we can all simply agree that any generic ole steel road bikes are way way wayyy better than anything else made. Ever.

dbakl

I imagine if someone's only concern was all out performance, a new bike would be the best choice. For those of us that just ride for pleasure, I'd guess any old thing will work well enough to get us through a ride...

New things are bright, shiny and new, and old things are something else again. I'm not sure you can say one is "better" than the other.

Dhorn33

I am brand new into the world of road biking after riding MTB for the past 20+ years. I picked up an 89 Nishiki lugged steel road bike at a garage sale, threw on some new (non cracked!) tires and went for a spin. Immediately I was hooked and on my first ride I went 22 miles in a hair under 60 minutes. On my MTB I would have averaged 16 mph on a good day so this was much, much faster. Anyway - I decided I wanted something better and not salmon pink colored like my Nishiki so I started to hunt for a replacement. My daycare lady offered me a chance to ride her full carbon fiber Specialized Roubaix and I jumped at the opportunity. What I experienced could only be described as jarring, noisy and not really that impressive to me. Sure - the bike was super light and fast - but it just felt really strange. I then took her husband's steel Jamis commuter bike around the block and immediatly liked the way it felt better. The next night I went and tested a 92 Schwinn Paramount Series 7 that I found on Craigslist and thought it was perfect so I now own it. This bike feels great and while it feels extremely fast to me - it isn't bone jarring and noisy at all. Maybe my feelings will change after I rack up some miles like the people on this board - but for now I guess I will stick to my 16 year old OS Cro-Mo, 650c wheeled wonder. Besides - for the price of a pair of CF handlebars I am riding a decent bike.

Road Fan

Goes with the pink and green preppy colors.

repechage

Design... with the carbon fork, suppliers that do not provide much variation in design, yes there is some but hard to find, and even harder to get the specifications to locate the variations... head angles have tightened up to a narrow range of 73 to 73.5 from my casual but critical inspection.. when you can find the geometry disclosed. Chainstay length also has narrowed in range.

With the mold cost and sm/md/large frame size format that helps inventory control... design has gotten very homogeneous.

There are exceptions, Time and Look had some differences here and there, Specialized might come out with more of a "classic" stage race geometry if they mass produce one of the team bikes being used.. but this is all in the high end and not cheap. Have to correct that, the latest Time frames are more mainstream this year it appears, too bad.

Be great if a current design engineer at one of the big companies got ahold of a 60's Cinelli, rode it, and had a revelation...

Trakhak

It's all what you're used to. I rode Reynolds 531 and Columbus SL road and track bikes from the mid-'60s to the early '90s and loved them all. I've since gradually replaced all of my steel bikes with aluminum bikes; love those even more.

I absolutely agree with the posters who said that wheels make the biggest difference. The only bike I had a little trouble getting accustomed to recently is my 16-lb aluminum bike with scary light American Classic wheels. It was twitchy on the downhills until I became more acclimated to the handling. Thought it was the frame geometry, but then I remembered that my first set of ultralight wheels (Hi-E, for the old timers) felt the same. Those Hi-E wheels instantly turned my Bianchi Specialissima Supercorsa into a skittish colt.

plumberroy

I won't tell any one what to like. It is your money and you have to ride it If it makes you happy go for it! I have a bike shop I go for parts that jokingly always has me try a bike "so I'll through away my old clunkers" I haven't found anything yet that has replaced my "clunkers" It is all in fun. I like old steel bikes .
I have been searching for a road bike that felt good to ride I think I found it today:a concord freedom 12 Only did a couple miles on it but I already like the way it rides .
I am to the point where if it makes me happy I don't care what anyone else thinks . and for the most part if you like something I'll be happy for you
Roy

cuda2k

gentlemen...

robatsu

Seems odd to have to justify/rationalize one's affection for old bikes on a C&V forum. Is the world going backwards?

mastershake916

Well the way that we're going through resources, I would hope that they would find it smart.

TBART

+1!